Promises
by Girlfromthemojave
Summary: For most of his years as a ghoul, Gob has been beaten and abused and living in constant worry and without love. But things start changing when vault dweller Claire shows up, or he thinks will be for better, and with every promise kept the two get closer but one day Claire makes a promise she might not be able to keep...
1. The first of many

It started with a casual touch, a simple brushing of hands when they exchanged caps. Claire's soft pale skin against Gob's rough and dry skin.

Gob yanked his hand back and stared at the Blue haired Vault dweller, waiting for her to hit him for touching her like most smoothskins did but the strike never came.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to touch you! Honestly just please don't hit me!" He pleaded, Claire tilted her head, confused and bewildered.

"Why would I hit you?"

"I touched you, on accident of course." Gob whispered quietly, not making eye contact with the girl.

"So? I haven't hit anyone else that's touched me. You're not much different than everyone else, just a little irradiated that's all."

Gob blushed and stammered out a response.

"You're just saying that. I'm a freak, a mutant!" He huffed and turned his back to the blue haired beauty to scrub an imaginary spot on the bar.

Claire sighed sadly and reached out to touch his shoulder but pulled her hand back and turned to leave.

"I have no reason to lie to you Gob...I'll be back later tonight." Just as she opened the door a voice called out to her.

"Promise?"

It was Gob.

"Promise." Claire said turning back to wave at him, a gentle smile filling her face.

For the first time in almost 3 decades Gob felt his heart race from something other than fear, he wasn't sure what it was but he liked it.


	2. Leather and lilacs

True to her word, that blue haired vaultie showed up just 10 minutes before Midnight.

Her cheek had a small scratch on it and her arm was bruised and scratched but she had her gentle smile on her face anyway.

When Gob heard the door open, he grunted and turned around to see who it was, he expected some late night drunk, not the lavender eyed promise.

For a moment, the two just stared at each other, Claire was the first to speak.

"What never seen a vault dweller before?" She said gently teasing him.

Gob blushed and looked away, embarrassed for staring like an idiot.

"Sorry, I just uh kinda never well um…" He stammered out blushing furiously, thankfully his green tinted skin hid most of the pink.

"You never expected me to come back?It's okay, I understand." Claire said softly sitting at the bar, taking off her Leather bomber Jacket placing it on the bar.

"So uh what happened to you? You look rough- OH fuck! I'm such an idiot! I didn't mean to say it like that. I mean-" Gob wiped his hands down his face, groaning, he let his hands land on to the bar.

Claire giggled and gently touched the top of Gob's hand, feeling the rough flaking skin under her solid skin. Gob stiffened up but relaxed, he lifted his head up to find a large shining, beautiful pair of lavender eyes staring into his.

"Gob it's okay. Honest, I know what you're saying. And I had a run in with some raiders." She gave his hand a squeeze before letting go.

"Do you want me to grab the first aid kit? To uh clean out that cut?" He sounded awkward, and felt like a moron.

"I'm okay, but thanks anyway. So how was your day?" Claire said pulling 2 bottles of purified water out of her Pip-boy, she offered one to Gob, he shook his head.

"Uh oh no uh um thanks, I can't if Moriarty found out, he'd hit me. Please don't be made, it's not you…." Claire nodded on an understanding way but left the bottle out anyway.

"But anyway my day was mostly uneventful, besides watching jericho get turned down by Nova and Moriarty threw someone out after they brought a whiskey bottle full of piss and compared it to our stock." Claire was holding her sides laughing,

"That's hahahahah hilarious!" Gob chuckled and relished the sound of the little pixies laughter.

"It was until the guy drank a shout of his own piss." CLaire covered her mouth as her laugh turned into the sound of a braying donkey.

"I'm not sure if that's horrifying or hilarious!" Her laughter died down as she caught her breath, tears had formed at the corners of her eyes and without thinking Gob gently wiped them away.

Claire gasped as she felt the rough pad of his thumb brush her cheek.

"SOrry there was uh tear and uh..SOrry. Go i know to make things awkward don't I?" God whispered turning his face away.

Behind him stood Moriarty, arms crossed and a sour expression on his face.

Gob backed up and raised his arms in a defensive position.

"It's fwucking Mihdnight ya git! Get yer arse to bed ya ugly tit!"

Claire stood up angrily.

"He was waiting for me! I promised him I'd be back later. You have no right to yell at him." She gruffed.

Moriarty just laughed,

"Yer can't be serious now meh darlin? Yer pretty head must be foggy if you think this get here is worth ya time." Moriarty turned and headed back into his room closing his door behind him

As soon as it was clear, Claire jumped over the bar and crouched next to Gob.

"I'm sorry I got you in trouble with that asshole." She whispered putting an arm around his shoulder.

Gob sighed and gave her a sad smile.

"YOu have nothing to be sorry for. Thanks for uh standing up for me."

Claire smiled and rubbed his shoulder before removing her hand.

Gob mourned the warmth of her soft skin, but in the close space he could smell her, leather and lilacs.

"No problem Gob, I'm gonna head home, I'll be back for breakfast okay? Sleep tight." She said jumping back over the bar and headed to the door.

"I'll be here, and get home safe okay kid?" Gob said quietly, claire nodded and headed out the door.

Leaving her jacket abandoned on the bar, Gob frowned at this and Grabbed it and ran to the door and swung it open.

He eyes searched for the blue haired nymph, he sighed and closed the door.

"Might as well hold onto it for her." He said Heading up to his room.

In his room he pulled off his boots, shirt and pants and crawled into bed. The jacket laid on the chair, tempting him with him by filling his small room with her scent.

He groaned and grabbed it, and held it up to where his nose should of been and inhaled.

He sighed sadly,

"Don't even think about. You're just friends and nothing more….She would never want you." He reminded himself as he buried his head into the soft wool lining, tears slipping from his eyes and sleep soon took over.


	3. Bolder

The next morning Gob awoke slightly less tired than usual, and even excited to get working as he remember that Claire would be in for breakfast.

He smiled and blushed at the sight of her jacket on top of his pillow.

"Had he really slept on it?" He asked himself, checking his watch, he hurriedly dressed himself but took the time to brush his teeth and attempted to comb his hair.

He decided that it was best not to get too worked up of her, hell she probably only kept her promise out of sympathy and pity.

He shook his head and headed down stairs to the bar and started doing dishes and getting the Saloon ready for the day.

Around 6 Mortiarty came out and started his daily beatings on Gob.

"Did you brush yer teeth?" Gob nodded nervously,

"Yeah I uh did."

"Getting all fancy are we? Trying to impress yer little friend? That's cute, but she ain't goin to be wontin the like of ya! She just pitin ya. Trest me lad, she just yankin yer chain."

Mortiarty clapped him on the shoulder and shoulder and shoved him against the shelf and and headed outside.

Gob sighed and shook his

Head, full well knowing Mortiarty was right and after pulling himself off the shelf he rubbed his shoulder.

Nova had been watching from her spot on the wall, she was a little angry and Mortiarty for being such as ass to the poor ghoul, but she also in a way believed him. Honestly there was some places even she wouldn't go and her standards were low even for a whore.

She couldn't imagine the vault girl dropping herself so low as to go for a ghoul.

But at the same time Nova pitied Gob, he was treated like shit not just because he was a slave but because he was a ghoul.

The only physical contact he ever got was a beating.

The stillness of the morning was broken by the sound of the door opening, and a cheery tune being hummed.

Gob looked up, and resisted the urge to throw himself over the bar in joy at the sight of the blue haired vault beauty.

"Morning Gob, Morning Nova!" Claire chirped happily, Nova nodded but stayed silent as not wanting to disrupt the flow between Claire and Gob.

"Hey kid how'd you sleep?" Gob asked taking a pause in his sweeping.

Claire yawned, and stretched. Her back cracking as she hooked her feet around the stool and bent backwards.

"Surprisingly well, how about you Gobby?" Gob blushed at the nickname, it sound good coming from her lips.

"Pretty good, so uh what would you like for breakfast?" He said smiling nervously.

"I already had breakfast, Maria invited me over to stay with her last night! She's not so weird once you get to know her. I like her honestly." Claire chirped happily

Gob smiled softly at the the young woman, unaware he was actually staring.

Claire cleared her throat causing Gob to jump.

"You okay Gob?" Claire as timidly as she locked eyes with him for a brief second.

"Yeah I'm uh fine just uh," he blushed and excused himself to the the back room for a clean rag.

He reminded himself to breath, and to relax, he quickly regained his composure and headed back out to the the main room.

Nova had moved to her spot on the wall and was now talking to Claire in such a low tone, Gob strained to hear.

Gob was distracted by a customer while the two girls talked.

"You've got him all worked up ya know. I've never seen him blush like this. Do you like him or something?" Nova whispered.

Claire giggle and hiccuped, something she did when nervous.

"Ya why wouldn't I? He's sweet and funny, and rather interesting."

Nova gave her a look of surprise.

"He's a ghoul. Doesn't that bother you?" Nova asked incredulously.

Claire shook her head.

"Not really, if anything it adds to his character."

Nova shrugged and took a sip of Nuka Cola before talking.

"To each their own I guess, but make sure you know what you want before you drag Gob into things. Poor kid doesn't need to teased and heartbroken."

"I'd never want to hurt him! He's my friend!" Claire said harshly, Gob had heard it and tried to pretend not to have noticed, holding back a slightly disappointed sigh.

Nova hushed the girl before speaking.

"I'm just asking as friend, please try don't to break his heart." Nova clapped Claire on the shoulder and went back to her spot in the wall, where a customer was waiting.

Claire folded her arms on the bar and lad her hair in down.

Things were happening fast, she and Gob had only known each other for roughly 3 months before getting close they were now, but life didn't look like it was going to slow down.

She wanted to take it slow and build up to…

"To what?" She thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

"Sex? A relationship?" Claire felt cheeks heat up as she imagined herself kissing and touching Gob like that.

An uncomfortable pressure formed in her groin as she imagined what Gob look like naked. She bit back a moan as she pictured Gob tasting her and undressing her slowly and tenderly.

Lost in lewd thoughts of Gob taking her on the bar, Claire failed to notice Gob reaching for her.

When grabbed her shoulder, she jumped and nearly swung her fist at the poor ghoul.

"Oh shit sorry kid, I didn't mean to scare. I was just checking to see if you were okay?"

Claire blushed and ducked her head, embarrassed.

"I'm okay Gob and that's really sweet of you, I'm just still a little tired, Maria kept me up talking about taming mirelurks and riding them." She snickered, Gob chuckled, rubbing her shoulder, savoring the smooth, undamaged skin of her bare shoulder.

He pulled his hand away before speaking,

"That sounds like Moria alright and you can go upstairs and uh ugh nap in my bed, if you'd like. You're choice of course! I mean-" he suddenly stopped himself from rambling and smiled at Claire sheepishly.

"Maybe another time, I have to go out and help the brotherhood clear out some super mutants downtown."

Gob felt his stomach drop, he had letters from Carol talking about how dangerous them mutants were even to the soldiers in power armor.

"That's really dangerous! You could get hurt." He said, his pale blue eyes full of worry.

Claire placed her hand over his again,

"Gob, I'll okay I promise. I'll try to be home-here before midnight but if I'm not I'll be back tomorrow at breakfast, either way you'll get to see me again."

Claire said gently palming gobs hands, she loved the texture of his skin on her, it felt natural.

Gob swallowed hard, trying to push the image of what her hands would feeling like on his cock, or tangled his hair as he kissed her and also had fend off the ideas of never seeing her again period.

"Alive? Promise?" He sounded like he was pleading. Claire reached out and stroked his face, just for a brief second,

"I promise Gob." She whispered, slipping out of his grasp and walking towards the door, Gob held back a whimper of remorse at the loss of contact.

"I'll be waiting, kid."

Gob whispered as Claire turned and give him her gently smile and a wave before heading out into the Capital Wasteland.


End file.
